Sorry for delay... been busy.
Our trip took us from Budapest to Split by car (about 8-9 hrs). We stopped at Karlovac just outside Zagreb and sometimes all the planning works out... the reviews of Restoran Kalvariga were great.. the results measured up. About a 15-20 minute hop off the highway and up through the hills (as in.. oh my, are we getting lost in croatia?)... place was perfect (and when 3 women all agree you got it right, you know you got it right).
In Split we stayed at an airbnb inside the Diocletian Palace (Game of Thrones fame)... great history and so cool to be living deep inside history. Our place [plug this into your airbnb search Luxury Palace No1 - Split apartman with jacuzzi] was beautiful and renovated so it kept all the marvelous pieces of history but you lacked for nothing. And being inside the walls made eating, shopping, etc simple. For my wife, having a bedroom with walls 1200 years old made her happy.
https://visitsplit.com/en/448/diocletian-palace
We took a day trip to Trojir. We had been to Zadar in the past and found it lacking a bit. There are plenty of great places to go up and down the coast, but don't miss out on the islands. Book a boat for you and your spouse/family and spend the day hopping about, enjoying the sea and sand and incredible views from the boat. Make sure Korcula is on your short list!
After Split we drove down to Dubrovnik... it's a reasonably short hop and the ride is a visual treat for much of the way. Dubrovnik again has islands to see and the castle/fort that serves as the primary tourist destination is filled with all kinds of sights, sounds, and plenty to eat. We made a point of taking the cable to the top of the mountain and ate at Panorama. Our taxi driver (to the cable car as one of our part had some walking issues) tried to dissuade us in favor of a great local place he knew. We held our ground and the reward was excellent food and a breathtaking view. While you'd be advised to make reservations for the outside terrace long before you visit, we stayed inside and it was perfect... then we went outside and had drinks and checked out the sunset.
http://www.nautikarestaurants.com/
My wife and her sister were not digging on getting up at 6 to drive to Kotor in Montenegro (you want to go early to minimize time at the border and, if climbing the mountain, to minimize the heat). So my step-daughter and I took the trip together... and what an amazing day!
It's about 2 hours, an hour of which is spent winding along the lake.. iow, it was beautiful (water to the right, mountains immediately to the left). The old town is a little tough on big cruise days, but if you go when tourists aren't everywhere, it's a very pleasant couple of hours. We lathered up and walked up to Fort San Giovanni. It's relatively steep (iow, at least be in shape) and the footing isn't the best. Bring lots of water (as you ascend, bottled water is available, and it gets pricier at each level up lol). The climb has a level off every 100 steps or so, so you can catch your breath and take some pictures. Depending on your fitness level, allocate 30-45 minutes; if not in shape, go slow, stop often). The reward for making it is the panorama shot you hoped for.
https://www.oaksandcompass.com/2015/11/three-incredible-hikes-in-kotor/
Now, when we go back (and we will), we'll be taking the Kotor Ladder, which starts outside the town and continues on up much further, ending at a wonderful restaurant, Nevjesta Jadrana. Or, you can taxi up eat, then walk down the mountain, cutting off to the fort. Depends on whether you want a great workout or not. But if the weather holds, that is one helluva day not to be missed.
https://nevjestajadrana.weebly.com/
We also went through Bosnia/Herzegovina and visited Mostar and Kravice Falls. While we enjoyed both, my recommendation is to book a day to Plitvice Lake/Falls which -- as it happens -- is about an hour from the restaurant in Karlovac! The Falls are considered Croatia's best attraction.... hard to argue... simply spectacular (again, if you can go before June or later in September/Oct, you'll avoid much of the tourists... July and August are ugly hot and to be avoided).
https://np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/en/
Word of advice... in Dubrovnik I lost the war and instead of a quieter place up around the bay (requiring a 15 min taxi into town), we opted for a place near the Fort... it was the smart choice. More congested, a bit noisy at times, but everything was right there for walking.
Simple things to know... check out when cruises are in town (forget the website but it's ez to look up)... try to schedule around the big ships. Sometimes it isn't possible, but we were rewarded for trying.
Be prepared to carry luggage.... oft-times, a good long ways... up many steps.. that are often circular. I lugged a lot of heavy bags (did I mention one of our party had some walking issues? lol) and lost 8 pounds on the 2 week trip (put another way, I was down a pound after the river cruise to Budapest.... the bulk of my loss came from carrying bags... and walking up a lot of castle stairs and the mountain).
Get a driver. I had planned to drive and was so pleased I opted for a driver (I like driving in Italy but even there it's more fun to settle back, drink wine, and enjoy the view). The cost was maybe a couple hundred more and that includes the trip from Budapest to Split, Split to Dubrovbnik, Dubrov to Kotor, and then Dubrov to Venice by way of Trieste. About $2,000 Euros... and worth every one of them, lol. Had I driven a similar vehicle, it would have cost about $1800 after factoring in fuel, insurance, parking -- and that was a huge deciding factor for me -- and the worry of "where the freak am I?"
Airbnb was a great way to roll.
Lots to digest but I'll finish this way.. we've been twice, and we're going back again. There is something about being pressed against the sea on one side and the craggy hills on the other. Awesome stuff. And my step-daughter and I have more climbing to do!
Our trip took us from Budapest to Split by car (about 8-9 hrs). We stopped at Karlovac just outside Zagreb and sometimes all the planning works out... the reviews of Restoran Kalvariga were great.. the results measured up. About a 15-20 minute hop off the highway and up through the hills (as in.. oh my, are we getting lost in croatia?)... place was perfect (and when 3 women all agree you got it right, you know you got it right).
In Split we stayed at an airbnb inside the Diocletian Palace (Game of Thrones fame)... great history and so cool to be living deep inside history. Our place [plug this into your airbnb search Luxury Palace No1 - Split apartman with jacuzzi] was beautiful and renovated so it kept all the marvelous pieces of history but you lacked for nothing. And being inside the walls made eating, shopping, etc simple. For my wife, having a bedroom with walls 1200 years old made her happy.
https://visitsplit.com/en/448/diocletian-palace
We took a day trip to Trojir. We had been to Zadar in the past and found it lacking a bit. There are plenty of great places to go up and down the coast, but don't miss out on the islands. Book a boat for you and your spouse/family and spend the day hopping about, enjoying the sea and sand and incredible views from the boat. Make sure Korcula is on your short list!
After Split we drove down to Dubrovnik... it's a reasonably short hop and the ride is a visual treat for much of the way. Dubrovnik again has islands to see and the castle/fort that serves as the primary tourist destination is filled with all kinds of sights, sounds, and plenty to eat. We made a point of taking the cable to the top of the mountain and ate at Panorama. Our taxi driver (to the cable car as one of our part had some walking issues) tried to dissuade us in favor of a great local place he knew. We held our ground and the reward was excellent food and a breathtaking view. While you'd be advised to make reservations for the outside terrace long before you visit, we stayed inside and it was perfect... then we went outside and had drinks and checked out the sunset.
http://www.nautikarestaurants.com/
My wife and her sister were not digging on getting up at 6 to drive to Kotor in Montenegro (you want to go early to minimize time at the border and, if climbing the mountain, to minimize the heat). So my step-daughter and I took the trip together... and what an amazing day!
It's about 2 hours, an hour of which is spent winding along the lake.. iow, it was beautiful (water to the right, mountains immediately to the left). The old town is a little tough on big cruise days, but if you go when tourists aren't everywhere, it's a very pleasant couple of hours. We lathered up and walked up to Fort San Giovanni. It's relatively steep (iow, at least be in shape) and the footing isn't the best. Bring lots of water (as you ascend, bottled water is available, and it gets pricier at each level up lol). The climb has a level off every 100 steps or so, so you can catch your breath and take some pictures. Depending on your fitness level, allocate 30-45 minutes; if not in shape, go slow, stop often). The reward for making it is the panorama shot you hoped for.
https://www.oaksandcompass.com/2015/11/three-incredible-hikes-in-kotor/
Now, when we go back (and we will), we'll be taking the Kotor Ladder, which starts outside the town and continues on up much further, ending at a wonderful restaurant, Nevjesta Jadrana. Or, you can taxi up eat, then walk down the mountain, cutting off to the fort. Depends on whether you want a great workout or not. But if the weather holds, that is one helluva day not to be missed.
https://nevjestajadrana.weebly.com/
We also went through Bosnia/Herzegovina and visited Mostar and Kravice Falls. While we enjoyed both, my recommendation is to book a day to Plitvice Lake/Falls which -- as it happens -- is about an hour from the restaurant in Karlovac! The Falls are considered Croatia's best attraction.... hard to argue... simply spectacular (again, if you can go before June or later in September/Oct, you'll avoid much of the tourists... July and August are ugly hot and to be avoided).
https://np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/en/
Word of advice... in Dubrovnik I lost the war and instead of a quieter place up around the bay (requiring a 15 min taxi into town), we opted for a place near the Fort... it was the smart choice. More congested, a bit noisy at times, but everything was right there for walking.
Simple things to know... check out when cruises are in town (forget the website but it's ez to look up)... try to schedule around the big ships. Sometimes it isn't possible, but we were rewarded for trying.
Be prepared to carry luggage.... oft-times, a good long ways... up many steps.. that are often circular. I lugged a lot of heavy bags (did I mention one of our party had some walking issues? lol) and lost 8 pounds on the 2 week trip (put another way, I was down a pound after the river cruise to Budapest.... the bulk of my loss came from carrying bags... and walking up a lot of castle stairs and the mountain).
Get a driver. I had planned to drive and was so pleased I opted for a driver (I like driving in Italy but even there it's more fun to settle back, drink wine, and enjoy the view). The cost was maybe a couple hundred more and that includes the trip from Budapest to Split, Split to Dubrovbnik, Dubrov to Kotor, and then Dubrov to Venice by way of Trieste. About $2,000 Euros... and worth every one of them, lol. Had I driven a similar vehicle, it would have cost about $1800 after factoring in fuel, insurance, parking -- and that was a huge deciding factor for me -- and the worry of "where the freak am I?"
Airbnb was a great way to roll.
Lots to digest but I'll finish this way.. we've been twice, and we're going back again. There is something about being pressed against the sea on one side and the craggy hills on the other. Awesome stuff. And my step-daughter and I have more climbing to do!
